Water filter cartridges commonly employ carbon as their main filtration agent. They will often surround the carbon filtration material with one or more layers of prefiltration material. Water filter cartridges sometimes use plastic end caps to provide structural integrity and to simplify the installation and removal of the filter cartridge.
While existing water filter cartridges may provide adequate water filtration for some applications, they are ineffective for the removal of lead and other heavy metals and pathogenic microorganisms such as Giardia Lamblia, E. coli, tyhoid, cholera, and cryptosporidium.
It will, therefore, be appreciated that there is a significant need for a water filter cartridge that is capable of removing lead and other heavy metals and pathogenic microorganisms. It is desirable that the water filter cartridge be relatively inexpensive and easy to install. The present invention fulfills these needs and further provides other related advantages.